All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Riverton, WY) – 23-year-old Fremont County man Che Stiffarm has pled guilty to one count of interference with a peace officer, a felony charge, for an incident occurring on May 22nd, 2021.
Stiffarm allegedly assaulted multiple officers after they were dispatched to a Riverton residence for reports of a physical fight between Stiffarm and a female victim, resulting in a foot chase that required use of both department issued tasers and pepper spray.
Stiffarm initially faced two interference with a peace officer felony charges, an interference with a peace officer misdemeanor charge, and a misdemeanor battery charge.
Sufficient probable cause was found at the preliminary hearing to move the case to District Court, where Stiffarm pled guilty to the one count at his June 16th arraignment hearing.
It is unclear if the other charges have been dropped at this time.
Stiffarm’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 8th.
On the night of May 22nd, a Riverton Police Department (RPD) officer was dispatched to a Riverton residence for reports of a physical fight.
While en route, dispatch informed the officer that the female victim was actively being struck by Stiffarm.
Upon arrival, Stiffarm fled the scene and jumped over a barbed wire fence.
The officer pursued, chasing Stiffarm into a nearby field where he eventually stopped.
The officer then ordered him to the ground with a department issued taser.
As the officer was attempting to place him in handcuffs, Stiffarm then reportedly turned and kicked them in the torso.
At this point, both the officer and Stiffarm engaged in a physical altercation, resulting in the officer deploying the taser.
Due to the close quarters, the taser missed Stiffarm, and the officer was forced to disengage.
As this occurred, a second RPD officer arrived on scene and “delivered two (2) one-second bursts of Oleoresin Capsicum Spray (pepper spray) to Stiffarm’s face.”
A third officer also arrived for backup, and while they attempted to restrain Stiffarm, he once again allegedly became combative, kicking the first and second officers.
The third officer then deployed their taser into Stiffarm’s upper arm, and the officers were able to place him in handcuffs.
After Stiffarm was placed into the patrol vehicle and taken to the Riverton Police Department, the first officer made contact with an eye witness of the initial fight.
The witness alleged that Stiffarm had repeatedly struck the victim, at which point he intervened.
The witness was reportedly not injured during the altercation.
Contact was then made with the female victim, who was “extremely upset, crying, and hyperventilating.” The victim was then evaluated by EMS, and positively identified Stiffarm as the person responsible for assaulting her.
The maximum penalty for the interference with a peace officer felony charge is 10 years imprisonment.